How snail mail saved a marriage

My mother's versatility was widespread in our neighbourhood. She used to be a counsellor, agony aunt, spiritual Guru, banker, marriage maker and so on.

People in our area had a belief that following her suggestions would bring good omen to their family life. She was very popular as "Karnam Amma" a title with respect to our caste.

Newly wedded couples in our area would come to touch her feet. Her spontaneity in utterance of words while blessing anyone used to bring goose bumps.

Laxmi, a girl from the slum area nearby our house, was married in Raipur a year ago, due to some complicacy she returned and was staying with her brother's family.

One afternoon she came to my mother and unfolded her story. Confidentiality was my mother's disposition. Her immediate suggestion was to write a letter. I used to be her penman, as I was about to start Laxmi suggested that in MP (presently Chhattisgarh) people may not read Odia and requested to write in Hindi. I wrote as per their dictation, translating to Hindi and on the overleaf drew a heart symbol and scribbled a popular Hindi shayari.

Around ten days later, Laxmi received an inland letter in her name and brought it to her "Karnam Amma" to comprehend. I read the letter, the epitome was, her husband was missing her too.

The letter followed by a shayari. Laxmi was poignant enough to drop a tear and requested my mom to reply. She from her postal stock provided me with an Inland letter and ordered me to pen.

I queried Laxmi-"Akka, does your husband write well?" To which she replied point blank that her husband is unschooled too. I became damn sure that my alter ego exists somewhere in Raipur.

As I was rushing to college, I solicited them to apprise me of the summary of the letter and informed that I would complete their work. At that time, I was in degree first year, a flamboyant teenager. This time I made the letter colourful with heart touching shayaris and posted.

Within a fortnight, Laxmi came to my mom and happily shared that her husband has sent Rs 100 by money order and the very next day she approached her with a colourful envelope.

I opened and started reading, it was an unadulterated love letter, after two lines I halted seeing my mother's face. Laxmi too blushed, embarrassed and ran away face palm. My mother asked me "what did you write? so that she received this reply". Like an impeachable son, I didn't answer anything.

On the day of Pongal, Laxmi came along with her husband to take blessings from my mother and conveyed that her husband reached the day before and taking her back.

My mother was glad and informed everyone at home that Laxmi is uniting with her husband again, a feather added to her cap, but once again she asked me "What did you write in the letter?" This time I diverted the topic to Arun Govil, her favourite 'Rama' from Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana.

In those days, snail mails used to reach the inbox of our hearts without any internet and android apps.